COLONIAL MENTALITIES Painting

Sven Smets, born in 1968 in Vilvoorde, lives and works in Mechelen, Belgium. For a large part of his career, he was active in the graphics sector and took care of the design of several national magazines and cultural centres. Afterwards he trained as a photographer, which resulted in a rich archive of images that he now reworks and uses in a different context. The work of Sven Smets confronts us with images that are often difficult to place at first sight. There are references to social injustice, religion, society and injuries. The drawings and paintings appeal directly to the emotions of the spectators. The most recent works often deal with characters who have suffered damage in a dystopian world. Starting from their own photographs and found material, as well as stills from films, different images are combined into new compositions. He experiments with charcoal and chinese ink on canvas or paper. Why work with colour when the story can be done in black and white? Sometimes some keys are added in watercolour. The figurative aspect is masked by the presence of strong shadows. The images are stripped down to their essence. He deliberately chooses not to work in a serial way and not to fixate on a specific technique or style. The images dictate the working methods and a mix of techniques is used. Finishing with digital media is also one of the possibilities. The paintings evoke impressions of intimacy and alienation, but at the same time feel familiar and soothing. Sven succeeds in aestheticising difficult subjects and ugliness and in this way generates a certain form of hope.